RE: 3 Midfielders so far then. Good signing. Can play at full back or in midfield, also scores a few goals!!! Least the midfielders are going to be on there toes!!!!! Great day so far, it's capping off what started to be a miserable week.... Fingers crossed for Knight
From Cheltenham site Cheltenham Town midfielder Grant McCann has joined Coca-Cola League Championship club Barnsley on an emergency loan with a view to a permanent transfer in the January transfer window. A fee has been agreed between the two clubs in principle but under FA regulations no permanent transfer can go through until the transfer window opens on January 1. Any transfer would also be subject to the player agreeing personal terms with his new club. McCann's move to the Yorkshire club, who are currently without a manager following the departure of Andy Ritchie yesterday, won promotion to the Championship via the Coca-Cola League play-offs last season. The Northern Ireland international will find himself re-united with his former Cheltenham Town team-mate Martin Devaney, who has been a Barnsley player since the start of last season. The move will bring to an end a successful spell with Cheltenham Town for the 26-year old former West Ham United trainee, who joined the Robins in January 2003 for a £50,000 fee. Prior to that, McCann had three loan spells with Cheltenham Town and in total he has made 218 starting appearances, four substitute appearances and scored 46 goals. He also won six full caps for Northern Ireland during his time at Whaddon Road. If indeed this move proves to be a permanent switch for McCann there seems little doubt that he will go down in history as one of the most influential players ever to wear a Cheltenham Town shirt. In a way I'm in two minds because it's sad to lose a good player but I get on well with Grant and it's a great opportunity for him, said manager John Ward. He has done extremely well for Cheltenham Town Football Club and this move will not only give him the chance to play at a higher level but also to further his international career as well. He has worked very hard this season and for him to have contributed seven goals to a team that has found goals hard to come by is a mark of his quality. We will miss Grant but we wish him all the best and we are moving quickly to bring in a repacement. Ward hopes to have a replacement midfield player signed on an emergency loan basis before today's (November 23) 5pm deadline.